Methods and Systems for Assisting a Purchase at a Physical Point of Sale

1. A system comprising a device for assisting a purchase by a customer at a self-service retail point of sale, the device including: a central portion, suspension arms which are connected to the central portion and extend on either side of the central portion, the suspension arms being intended to be connected to a portable container provided with an opening enabling an item offered for sale at the point of sale to be placed in this portable container so as to allow the portable container to be carried by the device, the central portion facing the opening when the device is being used to carry the portable container, at least one movement sensor which is configured to detect a movement through the opening of the portable container, when the device is being used to carry the portable container, at least one image sensor which is configured to detect at least one image of a scene at least partially covering the opening, when the device is being used to carry the portable container and the movement sensor has detected a movement through the opening, a position sensor which is configured to determine the current position of the device in the point of sale, the system also including: a processor provided with information on a list of items offered for sale at the point of sale and that are configured to recognize, with a predetermined confidence level, an item appearing in the at least one image, this item being recognized from a reduced list of items included in the list of items, this reduced list of items being determined as a function of a position of the device determined by the position sensor, the purchase assistance device also including a handle that is linked to the central portion.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reduced list of items is determined as a function of the current position and/or a previous position of the purchase assistance device.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the central portion of the purchase assistance device includes an image sensor.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the purchase assistance device also includes a weight sensor that is configured to measure a variation in the weight of the portable container when the device is being used to carry the portable container, the processor also using this variation to recognize the item appearing in the at least one image.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the purchase assistance device also includes at least one distance sensor that is configured to measure a distance between the distance sensor and an item at least partially within the measurement field of the distance sensor, contactlessly and when the device is being used to carry the portable container.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the suspension arms include a retainer that are designed to hold this portable container open when the device is being used to carry the portable container.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the retainer includes a contact sensor that is configured to detect the use of the device to carry a portable container.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the device also includes a card reader that is configured to read a customer identifier from a physical or virtual card, the processor being configured to associate the device with the customer identifier.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the portable container is made of deformable material.

10. A system comprising a device for assisting a purchase by a customer at a self-service retail point of sale, the device including: a central portion, suspension arms which are connected to the central portion and extend on either side of the central portion, the suspension arms being intended to be connected to a portable container provided with an opening enabling an item offered for sale at the point of sale to be placed in this portable container so as to allow the portable container to be carried by the device, the central portion facing the opening when the device is being used to carry the portable container, at least one movement sensor which is configured to detect a movement through the opening of the portable container, when the device is being used to carry the portable container, at least one image sensor which is configured to detect at least one image of a scene at least partially covering the opening, when the device is being used to carry the portable container and the movement sensor has detected a movement through the opening, a position sensor which is configured to determine the current position of the device in the point of sale, the system also including: a processor provided with information on a list of items offered for sale at the point of sale and that are configured to recognize, with a predetermined confidence level, an item appearing in the at least one image, this item being recognized from a reduced list of items included in the list of items, this reduced list of items being determined as a function of a position of the device determined by the position sensor, the suspension arms including a retainer that are designed to hold this portable container open when the device is being used to carry the portable container, the retainer including a contact sensor that is configured to detect the use of the device to carry a portable container.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the reduced list of items is determined as a function of the current position and/or a previous position of the purchase assistance device.

12. The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the central portion of the purchase assistance device includes an image sensor.

13. The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the purchase assistance device also includes a weight sensor that is configured to measure a variation in the weight of the portable container when the device is being used to carry the portable container, the processor also using this variation to recognize the item appearing in the at least one image.

14. The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the purchase assistance device also includes at least one distance sensor that is configured to measure a distance between the distance sensor and an item at least partially within the measurement field of the distance sensor, contactlessly and when the device is being used to carry the portable container.

15. The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the purchase assistance device also includes a handle that is linked to the central portion.

16. The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the device also includes a card reader that is configured to read a customer identifier from a physical or virtual card, the processor being configured to associate the device with the customer identifier.